Dark Bonding Spell
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Harry is hit by an unknown spell when he returns for his sixth Hogwarts year. Will his teachers and friends - or perhaps his enemies - be able to help him? AU: Completely ignores books 6 and 7! Snape partly OOC, sick!Harry due to the spell
1. Chapter 1

**Dark Bonding Spell****  
by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

Animatedly talking to Ron and Hermione, Harry walked from the Hogwarts Express over to the carriages, which were waiting to take the students to Hogwarts, while Hagrid was ushering the first years into the boats. '_I'm so glad to be back at Hogwarts_,' Harry thought. After the depressing summer following his fifth Hogwarts year that had ended with Sirius' death, he was looking forward to the school year in spite of a certain anxiousness because of the Dark Lord and his followers.

Harry was just on his way to climb up into the carriage after Hermione and Ron, when he spotted Malfoy standing in front of him. The Slytherin boy waved his wand, and before Harry was able to overcome his surprise and react, he was hit by an unknown spell.

"I hope this will tell you what you caused when you put my father into Azkaban," Draco spat, before he vanished into the darkness to join his housemates.

'_What spell was that?_' Harry mused. '_I don't feel anything_.' He quickly mounted the carriage and sat down next to Ron.

"Harry, what happened?" Ron asked curiously.

"I have no idea," Harry replied, suddenly feeling a bit unwell. He couldn't even describe how it felt, but somehow just not well.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione enquired, giving her friend a concerned look. "Did you hear what spell he cast?"

"No," Harry replied thoughtfully. "He mumbled something, but I couldn't understand him. I have no idea what the spell did to me. I feel a bit sick, but that might be because I ate too many chocolate frogs on the train or something."

Harry didn't notice the concerned looks that his best friends exchanged, but when they got off the carriage and entered the castle, Hermione and Ron led him away from the crowd.

"Harry, we're going to take you to Madam Pomfrey. Maybe she can find out what Malfoy did to you," Hermione said firmly, looking at him in surprise when he agreed.

"You must feel really miserable, if you go to the hospital wing before the Welcoming feast, mate," Ron stated, receiving an angry glare from Hermione.

When they reached the hospital wing, it was locked and a parchment was stuck to the door stating, '_I will be at St. Mungo's for a training course and will only be back late on September third. Please go and see Professor Snape; he will act as my substitute for the two days. P. Pomfrey_.'

Harry let out a long sigh. '_Of course; if I for once willingly come here_,' he thought, feeling very annoyed. "All right then, forget it; let's go to the Great Hall."

"But Harry, you should go to Professor Snape," Hermione disagreed, eyeing him in concern. "He'll be the best to help you anyway, especially if it was a dark spell that Malfoy cast on you."

"No," Harry contradicted vehemently. "I will not go to Snape."

The three friends hurried down to the Great Hall, where the Sorting had already begun. Harry blushed deeply, noticing that everyone looked at them when they entered the Hall.

"It's all right, Harry; just ignore them. It's not our fault that we're late," Hermione whispered, putting a comforting hand on his arm when they took a seat at the Gryffindor table.

Harry slowly looked around the Great Hall. Everything seemed to be as always, except for the fact that Remus Lupin was sitting at the Head table. "Look! It seems that Remus is back to teach," he told his friends excitedly, although at the same time a different thought crossed his mind. '_Will he be angry at me for getting Sirius killed?_' he wondered.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor for your tardiness," suddenly a baritone voice could be heard from not far away, and Harry saw Professor Snape walking behind their House table, giving him a menacing glare.

So far, Harry had been pushing his food around the table, but now his appetite was completely gone and he was feeling even worse than before. He put his fork down and whispered to Hermione, "I'd like to go to my dormitory. Do you know the password to Gryffindor?"

Hermione gave him a thoughtful look. "Yes Harry, I know the password like all prefects do, but I don't think you should go up there all on your own. You don't look well. I'll accompany you."

"It's all right Hermione, I'll be fine on my own," Harry replied, not wanting anyone to make a fuss about him.

Ron quickly stuffed a bit more of the delicious food into his mouth, before he hastily stood up to hurry behind his friends, unaware of the half concerned half angry look Professor McGonagall gave the trio when they left the Great Hall in the middle of the Welcoming feast.

By the time the friends reached the Gryffindor common room, Harry felt all over sore and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. He quickly headed into the bathroom, before he entered his dormitory, gratefully noticing that his friends had already unpacked his trunk and had laid out pyjamas for him. When he sat down on the edge of his bed, Hermione waved her wand over him, and he found himself dressed into his pyjamas, while his school clothes were properly piled on the shelf.

"Thanks Mione," Harry mumbled, scrambling into bed.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Hermione asked in concern and sat down on the edge of his bed next to Ron.

"As if I had the flu," Harry mumbled, slowly closing his achy eyes.

Hermione carefully put a hand on his forehead, observing that his cheeks were flushed and small drops of sweat were forming on his forehead. "You feel a bit warm, but not overly so. I'll see if I find a thermometer." She stood up with a determined expression on her face.

"Mione, why don't you conjure one?" Ron asked, giving the girl a questioning look.

"Ah, because I'm stupid," Hermione replied, slapping her hand against her forehead. "You know, if you can't use magic for more than two months, even if you miss it every day, you'll end up forgetting that you're able to do it." She waved her wand and conjured a thermometer, only to notice that Harry had already drifted off to sleep. "I'm afraid of what the spell will do to him," she said, putting the thermometer on the night table. "I'd feel better if someone checked on him."

"Well, there's only one person able to check on him at the moment, and that's Snape," Ron replied, groaning. "On the other hand, he is at least peacefully asleep, so maybe we should just leave him in peace for the night. If he gets worse, we can call McGonagall."

"All right," Hermione agreed, slightly consoled by her friend's argumentation.

An instant later, Ginny rushed into the dormitory. "What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

"Malfoy hit Harry with a spell, and we don't know what it is. He wasn't feeling well, so we accompanied him here," Hermione quickly explained.

Ginny sighed. "Well, McGonagall wanted to know why you left in the middle of the Welcoming feast, especially after arriving late. She wants you to come to her office immediately. You better go; I'll stay here with Harry."

"Thanks Ginny," Ron and Hermione replied simultaneously and stood up.

"What are we going to tell her?" Ron asked on their way to their Head of House's office. "If she sends Snape to check on Harry, he'll eat us alive."

"We can ask her not to send Snape, but if she deems it necessary, then it'll be for the best, Ronald," Hermione replied, knocking at the door of her favourite teacher's office.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

"Good evening Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley. Where is Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked gently, causing Hermione and Ron to tell her the whole story.

"He fell asleep within two minutes," Ron finished their explanation.

Hermione noticed that the professor's face had turned white. "Maybe someone could examine Malfoy's wand to see what spell he used?" she asked hesitantly.

McGonagall gave her an approving look. "Yes Ms. Granger, that's a good idea and probably the only thing that we can do at the moment, except for sending Professor Snape to Harry and let him check on him."

"Oh no, please don't," Ron spoke up. "Harry... I mean, Snape hates him, and Harry didn't want to go to Snape, and he'll be very upset that we talked about the matter anyway."

"Shut up, Ronald, you're rambling," Hermione told him and asked the teacher, "Please only send Professor Snape to Harry if it is inevitable."

"I will, Ms. Granger," McGonagall replied, smiling at the excited girl in spite of feeling very concerned herself. "All right; please accompany me to the Headmaster's office. We will discuss the matter with Professors Dumbledore and Snape. Afterwards, I will go and check on Harry and, if necessary, contact Madam Pomfrey at St. Mungo's."

Hermione and Ron hurried after their Head of House to the Headmaster's office. Professor Dumbledore offered lemon drops, which both students politely declined, and motioned them to take a seat.

"I assume that you came to explain why you left our Welcoming feast early in spite of arriving late?" Dumbledore asked gently.

Hermione and Ron looked at Professor McGonagall in silent question, who gave them a confirming nod. The teacher explained to the Headmaster what her students had told her earlier, causing the man to step to the fireplace and call Snape.

Two minutes later, the Potions professor stepped out of the fireplace, glaring at the two Gryffindor sixth years. Dumbledore quickly repeated what McGonagall had told him and demanded, "Severus, please bring Mr. Malfoy here, so that we can cast the Priori Incantatem spell in order to know which spell he cast on Mr. Potter."

"Very well, Headmaster," Snape replied and stepped back into the fireplace, only to return ten minutes later with Draco in tow.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

"Mr. Malfoy, please take a seat," the Headmaster ordered the boy in a gentle voice. However, as soon as Draco complied, Dumbledore asked for his wand and waved his own wand over it. "Illigio Morscenam," he stated, giving the two Heads of House a questioning look.

"Mr. Malfoy, what spell did you cast against Mr. Potter?" Snape hissed at his favourite student.

"The one the Headmaster just stated," Draco replied, smirking.

"And what does that spell do?" Snape asked, looking extremely angry.

"I don't know," Draco answered smugly. "My father told me what to do and I complied. May I leave now?"

"Well, it was you, who cast the spell, Mr. Malfoy, and depending on the effects it will have on Mr. Potter, you might be expelled or even be taken to Azkaban at a later time," the Headmaster replied sternly.

"Fifty points from Slytherin," McGonagall added, causing Snape to glare at his older colleague.

"Severus, please escort Mr. Malfoy back to his common room," Dumbledore asked gently, and the two Slytherins left the room. "We have to do a bit of research I'm afraid, Minerva."

"Please Professors, let me help too," Hermione spoke up. "You know that I love to do research in the library, and I'd do everything to help Harry."

"I will help too," Ron echoed.

The Headmaster wrote something on a small parchment and handed it to Hermione. "This is a pass to the Restricted Section, which you will probably need, considering that a spell coming from the Malfoys will certainly be a dark spell. Let's meet here again tomorrow evening at nine o'clock to speak about our findings. Minerva, please keep me informed about Harry's condition."

"Yes Albus. I will check on him and if necessary call Poppy," McGonagall promised and ushered her students out of the office, nearly colliding with Snape, who just returned.

"I will accompany you and check on Mr. Potter," he spoke up in his baritone voice that for once didn't contain any malice.

"Oh no, Professor, I don't think that's necessary," Ron contradicted immediately, causing everyone to look at him in confusion.

"How do you know that, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore enquired gently.

"He doesn't know it," Hermione answered impatiently. "It's just that Harry didn't want Professor Snape to check on him because he knows that the professor hates him."

"I do not hate him," Snape replied firmly, "and since Madam Pomfrey is not here and we don't know what is wrong with Mr. Potter, I will check on him if he wants it or not."

"Please do so, Severus," the Headmaster replied warmly.

"Harry is going to kill us," Ron whispered to Hermione, while they trailed back to Gryffindor after their teachers.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Harry woke up to a cold hand on his forehead. He lazily opened his eyes and blinked, not able to see properly without his glasses.

"Hello Harry, how do you feel?" his Head of House's voice penetrated his ear.

"Professor?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yes Harry, it's all right. I heard everything about the spell; however, so far we haven't been able to find out what it does, but we will begin an intensive research tomorrow. How are you feeling?"

"I feel as if I had the flu," Harry admitted. "But at the moment it feels tingly as if Madam Pomfrey was casting spells at me. She isn't here, is she?"

"No Harry, Professor Snape is just checking on you, and I hope that he'll be able to help you."

Harry groaned inwardly but knew better than to voice his thoughts. Suddenly, the Potions Master's silky voice could be heard. "I don't know what it is. He seems to be in quite an amount of pain throughout his body, and he is running a slight fever. I can give him a fever reducer and a pain relieving potion, but I'm not sure if they will work at all in this case." He pulled two phials out of his robe pockets and put them on the night table.

"Does he need bed rest, or is he able to attend classes?" McGonagall asked softly.

Professor Snape sighed. "Well, Poppy would certainly prefer to keep him in bed, but since we don't know how long it will take us to find out how to revoke the spell, I'd suggest that he should attend classes, provided that he feels well enough."

"It's all right. I want to attend classes anyway," Harry spoke up softly.

"Don't bother with relatively unimportant classes like Divination or Care of Magical Creatures. You're not well enough to attend all classes, and if your condition worsens, you have to remain in bed. Is that clear?" Snape asked sharply, making Harry swallow the potions.

'_I can't believe it. He is speaking in a normal, civil tone to me_,' Harry thought in amazement. "Yes," he replied wearily.

"Well, your bedside manners have improved greatly, haven't they?" McGonagall gave her younger colleague an amused look when they left the Gryffindor common room through the portrait hole.

"I don't want Poppy to kill me," Snape replied simply, rushing away with billowing robes.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Knowing that Harry wouldn't want Snape to check on him again, McGonagall entered the sixth years' dormitory early in the morning, while everyone was still asleep. She sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and hesitantly put her hand on the boy's forehead, causing him to stir.

McGonagall quickly cast a Silencing spell around the bed as not to disturb the other students and asked, "How are you feeling, Harry?"

Harry blinked. "Not much different from yesterday; like if I had the flu," he whispered. "But it's all right, Professor. I don't want to miss classes from the first day onwards."

Giving the boy a sharp look and taking in his flushed face, McGonagall replied, "I brought your time table, so that you can decide, which classes you want to attend if any. However, I want to take your temperature first. I cannot let you go to class if your fever is too high."

"It isn't, I'm fine," Harry insisted, but McGonagall used this opportunity to stick the thermometer in his mouth, shutting him up.

Harry threw a curious look at his time table, seeing that he had Transfiguration and Potions in the morning, Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic in the afternoon. He looked at his Head of House, pointing to the first two classes.

"You don't have to decide now, Harry. I will tell my colleagues that you're ill and don't have to attend classes but might decide to join your classmates sometimes," the teacher said gently and conjured a cool cloth to bathe his flushed face.

'_Feels good_,' Harry thought, unconsciously leaning into the cold touch.

"38.2," McGonagall said, taking the thermometer back. "Well, I don't know if Madam Pomfrey would let you attend classes, probably not, but anyway if you feel worse, you'll return to bed immediately, even if it's in the middle of a class. I will come and check on you after lunch." She motioned Harry to sit up and handed him two potions. "As Professor Snape said, we don't know if they'll work, but you can try them out."

"All right Professor, thank you very much," Harry replied, before he gulped down the potions, noticing that they only helped so much.

"Good morning Professor, Harry," Ron's tired voice suddenly penetrated their ears, as the redhead stepped over to Harry's bed. "Is something wrong Professor?"

"No, I'm fine, Ron. What are you doing up so early?" Harry returned the question.

"Mione made me get up so early, because we want to go to the library to search for the spell that Malfoy cast on you. Care to join us, mate?"

"No Mr. Weasley. Mr. Potter may only attend a few classes at the moment; otherwise he has to stay in bed. I will join you in the library after my last afternoon class," McGonagall promised.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Harry stayed in bed until ten minutes before the beginning of the first class, quickly dressed, and dragged himself to the Transfiguration classroom, where he arrived at the same time as the professor.

"Harry here!" Ron immediately called him over to a seat in the front between himself and Hermione.

After Professor McGonagall had greeted everyone and held a small speech about what to expect in a NEWT class, she addressed Draco. "Mr. Malfoy," she said sternly, "as you can see Mr. Potter decided to attend this class in spite of being ill due to your spell. However, he will not be allowed to attend all classes. Therefore, until I tell you otherwise, you will look if he is present in a class and if not you will take detailed notes of each class and hand them to me at dinner in the Great Hall. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Draco hissed angrily.

"It's all right Professor," Harry threw in quietly. "I'm sure Hermione will allow me to borrow her notes."

"Thank you Mr. Potter. That's very noble of you, but Mr. Malfoy will do as I told him," McGonagall replied sternly and finally began with her class.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Like the Transfiguration professor, the Potions Master held a short monologue about what could be expected in a Potions NEWT class. Afterwards he continued in his baritone voice, "From now on you will work together with a fixed partner. The pairings will be as follows: Bullstrode – Weasley, Finnigan – Nott, Granger – Zabini, Malfoy – Potter..."

With that, Harry tuned out and groaned inwardly. '_How can he do that? How can he pair me with Malfoy after what happened yesterday? I should have stayed in bed_.'

_tbc..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Dark Bonding Spell****  
by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

**

* * *

Chapter 2**

"Potter! Move!" Snape's voice suddenly penetrated Harry's ears and he saw Draco throwing him a smug look.

Like in a trance, Harry walked over to the front of the classroom and sat down next to Draco. "Since I want to finish our potion today, you stay here and I go and get our ingredients," Draco whispered.

"What?" Harry whispered back angrily, before he looked around and saw that everyone else had already started to get their ingredients. '_Well, seeing that I'll have to work together with Malfoy at least until the end of the school year, I'll have to act as if nothing had happened_,' he mused and began to prepare the ingredients as soon as Draco returned.

Seeing that Harry contented himself preparing the ingredients, Draco began to brew the potion, and at the end of the class they had managed to brew a flawless potion. The two boys only talked when it was inevitable; however, both of them behaved civilly towards each other, knowing that they had to work together during the whole school year.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

"I'll go back to the dormitory," Harry told his friends when they reached the entrance hall.

"Aren't you going to eat anything, Harry?" Hermione asked in concern. "You already missed breakfast."

"I'm not hungry, and if I want to eat something later on, I'll call Dobby and ask him to bring me something," Harry replied, sighing.

"Are you going to miss the afternoon classes then?"

"Yes; I just have to give Malfoy the chance to take notes for me; I'm sure you understand that," Harry smirked, causing Hermione and Ron to laugh aloud.

When Professor McGonagall came to the dormitory to check on Harry, student and teacher spent some time talking to each other until the beginning of the afternoon classes.

"Wouldn't it be possible to ask Malfoy under Veritaserum what the spell was?" Harry asked, wondering why the teachers were planning to search the library for an explanation instead of just questioning the person, who cast the spell.

"We could do that, but Mr. Malfoy doesn't know anything about the spell. He was ordered by his father to cast the spell, but he is neither aware of the effects nor of a method to cancel them."

"How can you be so sure that it's true what he says?" Harry enquired incredulously.

McGonagall smirked. "We know that for sure, because Professor Snape used Legilimency on Mr. Malfoy and confirmed that he told us the truth."

"So Snape knows everything about the matter, doesn't he? How could he pair me with Malfoy after all that happened? Especially since he seems to intend to keep the pairings up until the end of the school year," Harry mumbled.

The professor let out a long sigh. "You see, Harry, everyone has his own methods. Perhaps while we're speaking here, Mr. Malfoy is complaining to Professor Snape about the unfair punishment that he has to take notes for you until further notice."

"That's true," Harry had to admit.

"All right, Harry, I have to go and teach my next class. Considering that your fever is a degree higher than in the morning, I want you to stay in bed and rest. If you have problems, please call Dobby and tell him to fetch me," McGonagall said, adjusting a cool cloth on Harry's forehead before she stood up.

"Thank you Professor," Harry replied and lazily closed his eyes.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Like she had promised Ron in the morning, Professor McGonagall joined the students in the library to search for the spell Draco had used against Harry after the afternoon classes. Neville and Luna helped as well, while Ginny returned to the common room in order to look after Harry. However, until dinnertime they couldn't find any spell that was even similar to the one they were looking for.

When they met in the Headmaster's office after dinner, Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "There are two possibilities. Illigo Morscenam is Latin and means 'Bonding to a Death Eater.' I suppose that either there is an ancient spell containing the word Illigo in combination with an expression pointing to the dark side instead of the word morscenam, or Voldemort has completely invented the spell in our time."

"If he calls me before we find anything out, I will try to gain some information," Snape promised, turning in his head the potions, which he still had to finish for the Dark Lord.

The others agreed to meet in the library again the next day, and the meeting was adjourned.

"Bonding to a Death Eater?" Harry asked incredulously. "Don't tell me they bonded me to Voldemort. Oh no, he's not a Death Eater, thank Merlin. But..."

"It's all right, Harry," Hermione replied calmingly. "So far, we haven't found anything out, and I'm sure Professors Dumbledore and Snape will somehow be able to help you cancel the effects of the spell."

"I hope so," Harry mumbled, trying to dismiss the dark thoughts for the time being.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

In the morning, Harry only attended the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, glad to see Remus teaching again. However, half through the class the teacher turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I'd like you to leave now, since we're going to practise and I can't let you practise while you're ill." Seeing Harry's upset expression, he added, "I'm sure that you're already able to do these spells anyway, knowing how you taught your group last year. On a different note, I'd like to speak with you after classes, provided that you feel well enough to come to my office."

"All right Professor," Harry replied and left the classroom, worrying what Remus could want to speak with him about. After his Charms class in the afternoon, he dragged himself to the teacher's office, feeling his stomach doing flip-flops as he knocked at the door.

"Hello Harry," Remus greeted him friendly, causing Harry to feel extremely relieved at the gentle tone. '_Maybe he's not angry at me_,' he thought hopefully.

"Hello Professor. I'm glad that you're back, and I'm so sorry about what happened... with Sirius," he added hesitantly.

Remus looked at the boy in front of him in confusion. "Sorry? Harry, I don't understand you. You don't have anything to be sorry about..."

"I have," Harry interrupted him vehemently. "It's my fault that Sirius died."

"No Harry, it isn't," Remus replied firmly. "He was the one who went the Ministry, although we all told him not to go. Please forget that idea immediately. It's completely wrong. It is not your fault. What I wanted to speak about with you is something else though. What exactly is wrong with you, if you don't mind me asking?"

Harry sighed and told Remus the story about the unknown spell Draco had cast on him. "All right Harry; thanks for telling me," Remus said thoughtfully. "I will join the others in the library and help search for the spell, although I assume that it might be something Voldemort invented just for this purpose. Harry, let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I know that I cannot replace Sirius, at least not officially, but if you're ever in need of a godfather, I'll be here for you. And now you go back to bed, and I will do some research."

"Thanks Professor," Harry replied gratefully, turning to the door.

"Even if I'm your professor again, in private you may still call me Remus," the teacher gently told the boy and rose from his chair as well.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

In the evening, Harry woke up to a cool hand on his forehead. When he lazily opened his eyes, he saw Pomfrey sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Hello Madam Pomfrey," he said sleepily, giving the Healer a small smile.

"Hello Mr. Potter. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Pomfrey replied friendly, shaking her head in exasperation.

Harry mumbled something incoherent but protested vehemently when the Healer announced that she would like to take him with her to the hospital wing.

"No Madam Pomfrey, please don't. I want to attend the most important classes, and here I have my friends and everything, and it's not that anyone could catch this illness from me now, is it?"

"Well, that is certainly true, but I will not allow you to attend classes with a fever of 39 degrees," Poppy replied firmly. "Who has been looking after you? Professor Snape?"

"No; as far as I know, he only was here once. Professor McGonagall always checked on me and gave me my potions."

"All right; if she agrees to help me looking after you, because I might not be able to come here so often, you may stay here," Poppy finally gave in and spelled a few potions straight into Harry's stomach, causing him to drift back to sleep within seconds.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

At the same time, Professor McGonagall, Remus, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ron were sitting in the restricted section of the library doing research in order to help Harry.

"Here is something," Hermione suddenly spoke up. "Illigo Obscuritas it says."

"Is there an explanation?" Ron asked impatiently.

"Yes, but it's written in Latin; so it's not so easy to read," Hermione replied in exasperation.

"Show it to me," McGonagall and Remus said simultaneously, reaching for the huge book that was lying on the desk in front of Hermione.

The two teachers engrossed themselves in the reading, and finally McGonagall shook her head in exasperation. "That can't be true! Let's go and show this to Professor Dumbledore."

Together, the group left the library and climbed the stairs leading to the Headmaster's office. The students observed worriedly how the twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes vanished completely. "My poor boy," the professor mumbled more to himself than to the others, before he elaborated, "If I understand this correctly, the spell makes Harry ill until he fulfils a certain condition. This condition is described as having feelings of trust, friendship, and care towards a person of the dark side, in Harry's case for a Death Eater. Moreover, these feelings have to be mutual."

"A Death Eater?" Ron blurted out but was completely ignored.

"Severus, I need you here in my office," the Headmaster shouted into the fireplace, causing the Potions Master to step through within seconds.

"Did you find anything out about the spell?" he queried, seeing Harry's friends in the office.

"Yes my boy," Dumbledore replied and quickly filled the teacher in, while the others were still stunned by the information he had given them a few minutes ago. "I'm sorry, my boy, but I need your help with this."

Snape's eyes widened. "You don't mean... No! Albus, no, you can't mean that! You know that I've always done what you wanted me to do, but you cannot expect me to befriend the offspring of James Potter!" he replied, and a panicked expression spread on his usually blank face.

"I'm sorry Severus, but you're the only Death Eater on the light side. Believe me, I wouldn't ask this of you, if there was any other possibility," Dumbledore said gravely.

"Apart from his outer appearance, Harry has not much in common with James. He is a lot more like Lily, who was, if I remember correctly, your best friend," McGonagall said calmingly.

"I suggest," Dumbledore continued as if Snape had already agreed, "that we move Harry into your guest room. You are well able to look after him, and both of you can get to know each other better."

"Probably Harry will prefer to remain sick than to live with the greasy git," Ron whispered to Hermione, unfortunately loud enough for the Potions Master to hear.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for your insolence, Weasley," the professor sneered.

"Mr. Weasley, have you ever had the wizard's flu?" McGonagall enquired sternly.

"No," Ron replied in a small voice.

"Let me tell you that you'd feel absolutely horrible. Not many students would attend classes like Harry does in spite of feeling awful. I know that he won't want to live with Professor Snape, but neither does Professor Snape want to take care of Harry all the time. Nevertheless, I'm sure that he will do everything he can do to help Harry overcome his illness. Another twenty points from Gryffindor for your unfairness, and I expect a written apology from you for Professor Snape on my desk by dinnertime tomorrow."

"Yes Professor," Ron replied, throwing McGonagall an angry glare.

"Who is going to tell the boy?" Snape queried.

"I will speak with him," McGonagall replied softly. "Shall I bring him down to your quarters tomorrow after the last afternoon class?"

Snape remained pensive for a moment, before he replied, "I have a free period during the last afternoon class. I will go and get him then. Will you manage to speak with him before that?"

"Of course," McGonagall agreed, and Dumbledore dismissed the students, thanking them profoundly for their help.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

By the time McGonagall entered the Gryffindor sixth years' dormitory after a detour to the hospital wing in order to inform Poppy about the news, Harry was fast asleep from the potions he had been fed. Not wanting Harry's classmates like Ron Weasley to break the news to Harry, she unobtrusively put a spell on him that would alert her as soon as he woke up, even if it was in the middle of the night. Inwardly groaning when the alarm went off at three o'clock in the morning, she quickly threw her night robe over and stepped through her secret connecting door into the common room to get to Harry as fast as possible, casting a silencing spell around them.

"Harry," she addressed the boy in a soft voice, knowing that he was awake in spite of the fact that his eyes were closed.

"Hello Professor," the student replied in surprise. "Excuse me, but what are you doing here at this time of the night?"

"I wanted to speak with you, Harry. Are you feeling well enough?"

"Of course, Professor, what's wrong?" Harry asked anxiously, feeling from the teacher's behaviour that she didn't have good news.

"Well, the good news is that we found something out about the spell that Mr. Malfoy cast at you. The not so pleasant news is that you'll have to bond with Professor Snape in order to get rid of the effects of the spell," McGonagall explained softly.

"With Snape?" Harry asked in desperation. "Professor, is there no other way?"

"Professor Snape, Harry, and yes, I'm sorry my child. Professor Dumbledore believes that it would be the best if you stayed in Professor Snape's quarters, so that he can look after you and that you can get to know each other. I know that you don't like him," she said softly, "but that's only because you don't know him. Did you know that your mother was his best friend?"

"My Mom? His best friend? Is that true, Professor?" '_Maybe he's not too bad then_,' he thought. '_But he hates me_,' a voice in the back of his mind spoke up. '_He treats me worse than anyone else except for the Dursleys_.'

"But why does he hate me so much then? Just because I look like my father?" he asked, still unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Don't worry too much, Harry. I'm sure Professor Snape will sooner or later realize that you resemble your mother so much more than your father," McGonagall said, gently patting the boy's arm. "Anyway, you have to try to get along with him as well as you can. And don't forget, Professor Snape won't like having a Gryffindor student live in his private quarters either, but he agreed to try to help you, because he is the only Death Eater on the light side. He wouldn't have agreed to that if he hated you."

Suddenly a thought crossed Harry's mind. "How long do I have to stay with Professor Snape?"

McGonagall sighed. "Harry, I'm not sure if the spell will lose its effects, if you just get along and have feelings of friendship and trust towards Professor Snape, or if you have to remain close to each other on a permanent basis."

Harry groaned in annoyance, letting himself sink back onto his pillow. "Thanks Professor for telling me the truth. I'm sorry that you had to get up in the middle of the night."

"You're welcome Harry, and don't worry; everything will be all right. We are all here, and I intend to help you, whenever there is something I can do for you. Don't hesitate to call me any time."

"Thanks," Harry mumbled, while the first tears began to run down his cheeks.

When McGonagall came back to check on Harry three hours later, he was still crying, and she noticed that his fever was considerably higher than on the previous days. She instructed him to stay in bed and made a mental note to send Poppy to check on him and give him a calming draught or a sleeping potion if necessary.

Harry wasn't able to calm down easily. '_Maybe I should just go flying and let myself crash into the ground, so that all the pain and everything will be over_,' he mused in absolute desperation.

Like in a trance he scrambled out of his bed, threw his robes over his pyjamas, and grabbed his broom. Only when he flew through the open window, he noticed that it was raining cats and dogs, which didn't necessarily help to lighten his mood.

_tbc..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Dark Bonding Spell****  
by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

**

* * *

Chapter 3**

While he was flying in spite of the heavy rain, he turned around all his thoughts of the last few hours in his mind once more. '_No, I can't kill myself right now; I have to finish off Voldemort first,_' he remembered and decided to feverishly work on a plan to kill the man, so that he'd be free to escape from the effects of the spell. All of a sudden, he began to shiver violently from the cold caused by the rain and by his fever, so that he could barely keep himself upright on his broom. Fortunately, he managed to return to his dormitory safely, hoping that nobody had seen him flying while he was supposed to be in bed.

For the rest of the day, Harry barely spoke a word. When Madam Pomfrey came during lunch break and asked what he had been doing during the morning to worsen his condition, he merely looked at her from glassy eyes. She gave him a concerned look and spelled the potions straight into his stomach, knowing that the boy would sleep for the next few hours.

Harry slept until Professor Snape woke him up by placing a cold hand on his forehead. "Do you feel well enough to walk, or should I levitate you?" the professor sneered, causing Harry to hurriedly scramble out of bed and pull his robes over his pyjamas. Knowing that Dobby would bring Harry's luggage down to the dungeons later on, Severus didn't bother taking Harry's trunk with him but strode out of the room, motioning the boy-who-had-yet-to-speak to follow him.

By the time they reached the dungeons, Harry felt absolutely exhausted and wearily followed the professor into his private quarters without looking left or right. Seeing that the boy was obviously not feeling well, Snape led him straight into his guest room, which the house-elves had prepared for Harry.

In utter relief, Harry let himself sink onto the four poster bed, not even noticing that the professor helped him to lie down with gentle hands and even took his glasses off. Snape gave the child a concerned look, noticing that his cheeks were deeply flushed, and pointed his wand to the boy's head to take his temperature. '_Nearly forty degrees_,' he mused in surprise. '_How could he get so worse in spite of missing all of his classes and staying in bed today? If this continues, he won't be able to do anything for quite a while_.' He spelled a strong fever reducer into the boy's stomach and retreated into his office, leaving all the doors ajar.

Two hours later, Snape checked on Harry again noticing that the fever reducer had done its work. "Potter, you need to eat dinner," he addressed the boy, lightly shaking his shoulder, causing Harry to stir.

Harry felt much better than before, at least physically. "No thanks," he mumbled, closing this eyes again.

"No Mr. Potter, you will eat dinner," the professor replied sternly. "If you feel well enough, we can eat in my small kitchen, since you're clearly too ill to walk to the Great Hall. If you feel too sick to get up, you may eat in bed."

Harry let out a deep sigh and scrambled out of the bed, pulling his robes over as usual. Seeing that the professor nodded contentedly, he hurried to follow him out of the room. '_He seems relatively friendly so far_,' he mused, '_although it must be really annoying for him to have me here_.'

The professor led Harry into a very small kitchen, half of which consisted of a small table with two chairs, and motioned him to take a seat, before he called Cicero, his personal house-elf, introduced Harry to him and asked for dinner for the two of them.

Feeling not hungry at all, Harry only took a few small tomatoes onto his plate and slowly munched them, hesitantly averting his eyes to the floor, when he noticed the teacher's stern dark eyes resting on him.

"Is that all you eat?" Snape asked, trying to keep his voice and his face void of any emotion.

"I'm sorry sir," Harry replied in a small voice.

"Well, I won't force you tonight since it is your first evening here, but from tomorrow morning onwards, you will find yourself being force-fed if you don't eat willingly," the professor informed him curtly.

'_Why does he even bother?_' Harry mused in confusion, while he pushed his plate away and waited for the teacher to finish his meal.

"You may go to bed," Severus told him a few minutes later. He led the boy into the living room and added, "If you feel well enough to stay up until curfew, you may spend the evenings either here or in your own room."

Harry gave the teacher a grateful nod and looked around. The room held the largest fireplace he could remember to have ever seen. A group of sofas and chairs was arranged around the round fireplace, and the whole room was surrounded by huge bookshelves that didn't leave the smallest spot of the stone walls uncovered. He liked the room immediately. '_It looks very comfortable and nice_,' he thought, wondering if he'd ever have the courage to sit down on one of the sofas.

Harry tried to convince himself that he had to thank the professor for taking him in, but he just couldn't get himself to talking. Suddenly, the fireplace flared, and McGonagall stepped out.

"Hello Severus, hello Harry. I just came to see if everything was all right and to hand Harry Mr. Malfoy's notes."

"Thank you Professor," Harry replied in a barely audible voice, taking the parchments from his Head of House.

McGonagall looked at Snape in concern, who uncharacteristically shrugged and responded to the unasked question, "Mr. Potter seems to feel worse tonight than during the last days. His fever was spiking when we arrived here, and he barely ate anything."

"I'm fine," Harry said quietly, averting his eyes to the nearest bookshelf.

"Well, let me put you back to bed, Harry," McGonagall addressed him and gently laid an arm around his shoulders.

"Thank you Professor," Harry whispered, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat, and followed the teacher into his room.

"The bathroom is behind the green door right next to your room," the Potions Master's baritone voice penetrated his ear.

"Thank you Professor," Harry replied softly, making a bee-line for the bathroom.

"Harry, are you all right?" McGonagall asked in concern, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Yes," Harry replied softly.

"You know that I'm always here for you, if you need someone, and so are your friends," McGonagall told him, while she conjured a cool cloth and gently adjusted it to his forehead.

"Fees good," Harry mumbled lazily, slurring the words a bit. "Thanks Pfessor."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

In the morning, Harry woke up when Professor Snape checked on him in time for classes. '_What is he doing?_' he mused, slightly unnerved when he saw that the teacher waved his wand over him several times.

"Good morning Mr. Potter," the professor said in a soft, silky voice, noticing that Harry had opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"All right," Harry replied in a small voice, sighing. '_How I hate people check on me; it's bad enough when Madam Pomfrey does it_,' he mused, feeling incredibly annoyed.

"I don't think that everything is all right, Potter," Snape sneered. "You obviously managed to add a light bronchitis to your ailment due to the spell. Therefore, you will stay in bed today, at least until I will come back and check on you during lunch break."

"I'm fine," Harry replied in a very angry voice, causing Severus to raise an eyebrow at the child, showing clearly that he didn't believe a word.

The teacher called Cicero and asked for breakfast for Harry, instructing Harry to eat as much as he could. "I have to make an appearance at the Great Hall for breakfast, Potter, and afterwards I will head straight to my classroom," he told Harry and left the room, making a mental note to check on the boy once during the morning.

When the professor had left his quarters, Harry lazily got up and dressed himself. '_There is no way I'm going to miss Transfiguration_,' he decided and slowly walked up all the stairs to the Transfiguration classroom. '_This is not a good way to get to know Snape better_,' the small voice in the back of his mind spoke up. '_If I'm unlucky, I will get to know a side of him, which I don't really want to know_.'

'_On the other hand, I cannot miss all my classes for months_,' Harry thought, while he sat down in the still empty Transfiguration classroom. '_I already missed Charms and Defence yesterday_.'

A few minutes later, his classmates entered the room. "Harry!" Ron shouted, taking the seat next to his friend.

"Hi Ron, hi Mione," Harry smiled at his friends.

"Hello Harry; how are you? Is everything all right? Are you getting along with the professor?" Hermione enquired softly.

Harry sighed. "He behaved civilly for once. However, I'm probably going to be in trouble because he forbade me to attend classes, but I didn't want to miss Transfiguration. I just hope he won't notice that I'm not in my room."

Hermione groaned. "Harry, you're incredibly stupid; do you know that? How dare you not obey to him? It's for your sake that you have to get along."

"I know, but..." Harry trailed off, seeing that Professor McGonagall entered the classroom.

The teacher gave him a sharp look, before she greeted the class. "Good morning. Today, we want to practise the Transfiguration of a plush rabbit into a living rabbit." With a flick of her wand, many plush rabbits flew out of a box, landing on the students' desks.

Harry gave his rabbit a wary look, suddenly noticing that he felt worse than on the day before. '_Maybe Snape was right with his talk about bronchitis_,' he mused. '_My throat is incredibly sore, and my eyes and my head hurt more than yesterday_.' He tried to pull himself together to do the requested Transfiguration, and after a few tries he finally managed to transfigure the rabbit. A light green rabbit was sitting in front of him.

"Harry!" Hermione said, chuckling. "Don't you think your choice of colour is a bit abnormal?"

Harry watched his green rabbit sniffle interestedly at Hermione's pink animal, which immediately proceeded to cuddle with its new friend, and replied, "Why? Your rabbit obviously likes him."

"Well done, Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter; ten points to Gryffindor for each of you," the teacher commended them, causing the whole class to watch the interaction of the two rabbits in the first row.

Harry quickly waved his wand at his rabbit, and in the blink of an eye the small animal's colour turned into a light grey. "Better now?" Harry asked his friend, noticing that his voice was sounding hoarse. He groaned inwardly. '_Why did I have to be so stupid to fly in the pouring rain yesterday?_'

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked in concern, noticing that her friend's cheeks were deeply flushed and his eyes were glazed over.

"I don't think that he is all right," Minerva replied, causing the two students to jump, startled. Neither of them had noticed their Head of House standing right in front of them. "You were told to stay in bed, weren't you?"

"Yes, but I'm fine," Harry whispered, suddenly becoming aware of the fact that Professor Snape hadn't told him the password to his quarters, so that he wouldn't be able to return to his room anyway.

An icy hand on his forehead pulled him out of his reverie. "Harry, you're ill and belong into bed," McGonagall whispered. "Do you know the password to Professor Snape's quarters?"

"No," Harry replied truthfully, absentmindedly stroking his rabbit's back.

"Then you will have to go to Madam Pomfrey and ask her to take you back to your room. She is able to enter any room throughout the castle. I will come to see you in the evening." Glancing at her wrist watch, she added in a louder voice, "Ms. Granger, could you please accompany Mr. Potter to Madam Pomfrey?"

"Of course," Hermione said and stood up.

The two friends slowly walked to the hospital wing. In the meantime, the first class was over and the halls were full of students, who hurried to their next classes. "Hermione, I'm all right on my own," Harry told the girl, knowing how much she hated to be late for her classes.

"No Harry, you're not fine," Hermione replied sternly. "And Madam Pomfrey can give me a pass for Professor Lupin, so that it won't be a problem."

Finally, they reached the hospital wing. Harry let himself sink on a chair while Hermione went to look for Poppy and quickly explained to her what had happened. Clucking disapprovingly, Madam Pomfrey stepped over to Harry and motioned him to lie down on the next bed, before she waved her wand over him a few times.

"I believe I don't have to tell you how stupid you were not to listen to Professor Snape, do I now?" she asked sternly. "You have bronchitis with forty degrees of fever, and it will surely take at least a week, before you can think about getting up again. I will give you a few potions and when they take effect I'll take you back to the dungeons."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Twenty minutes later, Harry was back in his bed in his new room, feeling absolutely awful in spite of the potions Pomfrey had spelled into his stomach a short while ago.

'_What will Snape say?_' Harry mused worriedly, dreading the fast approaching lunchtime.

"You imbecile!" the professor spat. "How dare you aggravate your condition so much? If I tell you to stay in bed, you will do exactly as I say! Is that absolutely clear?" he said in a clear voice, emphasizing each single word, throwing Harry a menacing glare.

"Yes Professor," Harry croaked. "I'm sorry."

"Well, seeing that you didn't even touch your breakfast, you will now eat lunch," the teacher said sternly and proceeded to help Harry sit up.

"No sir, please, I'm not hungry," Harry replied, giving the professor a pleading look.

"I do_not_care. Had you obeyed to my instructions, you wouldn't have aggravated your condition so much. You can either eat by yourself, or you'll find yourself being fed." He called Cicero and asked him to take Harry's breakfast away and bring chicken broth for Harry and a normal lunch for himself, which arrived within seconds.

Snape made the soup hover in front of Harry, while he sat down next to the night table, where his lunch was waiting. He pressed the spoon in Harry's right hand, giving the boy an expecting look.

Harry hesitantly ate two spoons full of the warm liquid, before he put the spoon down and said hoarsely, "I'm sorry, but I can't eat more. My throat's too sore, and I'm not hungry anyway.

Snape sighed and picked up the spoon. "You have to eat a bit more, Potter," he stated and began to feed the boy.

"I can do that by myself," Harry protested weakly, but the professor was not willing to release the spoon once more.

Only when the bowl was half empty, Snape set it down and gently helped Harry to lie down again. "All right Potter. You will remain in bed this time. The only place where you are allowed to go is the bathroom. If I catch you out of bed or hear from anyone that you've been seen out of my quarters, I will put you into a body bind for at least a week," he threatened, giving the boy a menacing glare, before he headed back to his classroom.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

When Severus returned to his quarters after his last afternoon class, he headed straight for Harry's room in order to check on the boy. '_Hopefully he obeyed this time and stayed in bed instead of gallivanting around the castle_,' he thought in utter annoyance. However, what he saw when he reached the half open door of the child's room made him pull his wand.

Harry was cowering on the far end of his bed, looking at a spot just behind the door with a completely horrified expression on his face. "I'm sorry, sir, please don't do anything. I promise I will do anything you want. Please sir, I'll be good."

With his wand pointed in front of him, Severus carefully entered the room and looked behind the door seeing… nothing! '_Oh no, the boy is delirious_,' Severus thought, pocketing his wand, before he stepped over to the bed, where Harry continued to beg someone to leave him in peace.

"It's all right, Potter; nobody is here except for you and me," Severus tried to calm the child down to no effect. Knowing that a few hours had passed since Harry had taken his potions, he quickly summoned a Fever reducing potion and spelled it into the boy's stomach, causing Harry to calm down immediately.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled a last time and let Severus help him to lie down.

HP HARRY'S POV HP

Harry lay down, panting slightly. He had woken up to a sound from the direction of the door, and when he opened his eyes he had seen his uncle standing behind the door, looking at him with a menacing smirk. "I know what they've done to you. See, even in your world you're nothing but a good for nothing freak," Vernon had told him before he had tried to attack him with his belt. However, due to Harry's apologizing and begging, his uncle hadn't come near but remained behind the door. And suddenly, Snape had entered the room in order to help his uncle punish him. At least Harry had thought so, but then, all of a sudden his uncle vanished from the spot and the professor helped him to lie down. Harry finally relaxed, noticing that the teacher was waving his wand over him to check on him.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

"Potter, there was nothing. You only saw things because you were delirious due to your high fever," the professor explained, and Harry inefficiently tried to digest that information.

'_But I saw my uncle; he was really there until Snape did something to make him vanish_,' he thought and gratefully croaked, "Thanks Professor."

Suddenly feeling very thirsty, Harry tried to sit up again, until the professor hissed, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Water," Harry croaked and felt that the professor gently supported his back to bring him into a half sitting position, before he pressed a glass of water against his lips. Harry greedily swallowed the cool liquid, which felt soothing against his burning throat.

"Potter, are you going to drown yourself?" Snape sneered and ordered him to take small sips, holding the glass so that Harry could only swallow a bit at each sip.

Finally, the glass was empty, and Harry lay down in relief. "Sorry to be such a burden," he told the professor, who in return gave him a strange look.

"You're not a burden, Potter," he said finally. "However, you were immensely reckless and stupid to make yourself so ill."

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled, thinking, '_Considering that it was partly my own fault, he behaves really civically_.'

"Do you want to eat dinner now or later?"

"Later, but I don't want to eat anything. Can't you just give me a Nutrient potion like Madam Pomfrey does?"

"As long as you're in my care, you will eat three meals a day," the professor replied firmly. "I have to attend dinner in the Great Hall, since no one is supposed to know that you're staying with me, especially not the Slytherins. They assume that you're staying in a small room in the hospital wing. Therefore, when you're feeling better, so that you can attend classes, and meet someone here in the dungeons, you have to tell that you came from my office, where you served detention."

"All right Professor," Harry replied, anxiously watching the teacher leave. '_What if Uncle Vernon comes back?_' he wondered, slightly beginning to panic. '_And how did he get in here at all?_' Fortunately, sleep overcame him before he could make himself too upset.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Harry only woke up when he felt someone sit down on the edge of his bed. He lazily opened his eyes, seeing his Head of House watching him in concern. "Hello Professor," he mumbled, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Hello Harry," McGonagall replied gently. "Are you getting along with Professor Snape?"

"Yes Professor. So far I can't complain, except for the fact that he force-feeds me, although I don't want to eat because my throat is sore and I'm not hungry."

McGonagall sighed. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm afraid that I can't help you with that. Since Professor Snape is your guardian for the time being and you're in his care, I'm not in a position to tell him what to do. The only one, who could tell him something, is Madam Pomfrey. You can ask her when she comes to check on you."

"All right Professor, thank you."

"I brought you the notes Mr. Malfoy took for you." McGonagall placed a small pile of parchments on Harry's desk. "However, I want you not to study until Professor Snape allows you to do so; is that clear, Harry?"

"Yes Professor, crystal clear," Harry replied, feeling very annoyed.

"I'm sorry Harry," the teacher said, giving her student an understanding smile, and began to carefully bathe his flushed face with a cool cloth.

"Professor, what will happen if I miss too many classes? Will I have to go back to fifth year?" Harry suddenly asked worriedly, giving his Head of House an anxious look.

McGonagall sighed. "Harry, you know as I do that it's still the first week of the school year. You'll probably have to remain in bed with your bronchitis for a few days, maybe even a week, but after that you'll probably feel well enough to attend at least the most important classes like you did during the first two days. Even if you missed for example all the twelve weeks until Christmas, you wouldn't have to go back. You'd be given time to catch up, and all the professors including myself of course would be willing to give you private lessons, if necessary during the summer holidays. Don't worry about that now, Harry. Try to sleep as much as you can, and try to get along with Professor Snape as well as possible."

"All right; thanks Professor," Harry mumbled, feeling slightly relieved at the professor's kind words.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Later in the evening, Snape made Harry eat a small dinner consisting of fruits salad, which Harry appreciated very much.

"Professor," Harry suddenly asked, putting his fork down, "was it really Malfoy Senior's doing to have Draco put the spell on me, or do you think Voldemort instructed him, and what do they intend with the spell at all? Did they just want me to get in trouble, or do they hope I'll bond to you and you will take me to Voldemort or make me change to his side?"

Severus sat down on the edge of Harry's bed, sighing. "I'm not sure if it was the Dark Lord's doing, but I can imagine that this was the case. Knowing that the Dark Lord is arrogant enough to believe that there is no spy among his Death Eaters, he probably can't imagine that you'll be able to bond to a Death Eater at all. Perhaps he believes that your health is going to constantly decline due to the spell, so that he'll be able to easily finish you off. Anyway, Mr. Malfoy cannot know about the fact that you're staying in my quarters. We have to think about something to explain your frequent presence here in the dungeons."

"Could I perhaps use the Floo network to the Gryffindor common room or the hospital wing or to another place?" Harry suggested.

"I'm afraid that won't work, because the internal Floo is charmed so that students cannot use it," the professor replied thoughtfully, gently helping Harry to sit up when he began to let out several harsh coughs.

"Thank you Professor," Harry said when he finally calmed down and gratefully sipped from the glass of water the teacher held to his lips. "Thanks Professor for letting me stay with you in order to help me," he said in a small voice, hesitantly looking up into the teacher's obsidian eyes.

"You're welcome, Potter," Severus replied in an equally soft and silky voice.

"There might be another way for me to get around the castle," Harry said hesitantly. "However, I need to practise a lot until I'll be able to use that."

"And by which means might that be, Potter?" Severus asked curiously, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

Harry sighed. "Professor, could you promise to keep to yourself what I'm about to tell you?"

"I promise," the teacher replied, throwing his student an amused glance.

_tbc..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Dark Bonding Spell****  
by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

**

* * *

Chapter 4**

Harry cleared his throat and hesitantly explained, "When I was at my relatives' home during the summer holidays I practised the Animagus transformation." Seeing that the professor's expression remained curious, he slowly continued, "I haven't managed to transform completely, but I can already change my whole body except for my head."

"You practised to become an Animagus in the Muggle world just by yourself?" the professor asked incredulously. "Does anybody know about this?"

"No, Professor, and I want to keep it like that," Harry replied in a slightly upset voice. "The ministry wouldn't know because I didn't have to use my wand. I also practised a bit of wandless magic during the holidays."

Severus sighed. "Well, what you did was incredibly stupid and reckless. What if you hadn't been able to properly transform back? Nobody could have helped you." He shook his head in annoyance. "Anyway, here at Hogwarts you may only practise when Professor McGonagall or I are with you; however, I preferred if it was your Head of House, because she is more capable of helping you if you encountered problems than I. What is your Animagus form, if I may ask?"

"A water phoenix," Harry replied, thinking of his beautiful blue and emerald green feathers.

The professor efficiently managed to hide his amazement behind a mask. '_The only phoenix Animagus I've ever heard of is Albus_,' he thought, before he replied, "Very well, Mr. Potter, a magical animal is something very special. Maybe Fawkes will be able to teach you how to flash after you manage to transform completely. Then you could easily flash from here to your dormitory, for example. However, you may not practise as long as your condition is so poor. You have to wait at least until your bronchitis is gone, and now it's time to take your last potions for today and to sleep."

"All right, good night, Professor," Harry replied, when Severus gently helped him to lie down after he had obediently gulped down all the liquids from the phials that the professor pressed against his mouth.

"Good night, Mr. Potter," the teacher replied softly, while he tucked the boy in. "Do not hesitate to call me, if you encounter any problems during the night. I'll leave all the doors open," he promised, before he turned the lights off with a flick of his wand and left the room.

HP SEV'S POV HP

Suddenly feeling very tired, Severus retired to his bedroom. '_That was a great progress, wasn't it?' he mused. 'I tried to be nice to the boy, and he confided into me. Just why does it always have to be Potter to be special? A magical Animagus! Well, in our case, it'll come really handy, provided that he'll be able to flash himself around the castle. A phoenix is so much better than my form of a garden snake_,' he thought, sighing. '_A garden snake is exactly what you need to be in order to spy on people_,' a voice at the back of his mind spoke up, '_just be content with what you have; most people don't even have an Animagus form_.'

Severus sighed and lay down, wondering why he was so tired tonight. '_It's the first time in years that I go to bed before midnight_,' he mused while he waved his hand to turn off the lights. '_He said he practised wandless magic as well. So far, only Albus and I were able to do wandless magic. Always Potter_,' he sighed in exasperation, while he slowly drifted off to sleep.

However, his sleep didn't remain undisturbed for long. All of a sudden, his Dark Mark flared, and he jerked awake in immense pain. '_Oh no, not now_,' he groaned, while he scrambled out of bed and gathered his Death Eater garments, hurrying to the fireplace to inform the Headmaster. He quickly looked in on Harry, who seemed to be peacefully asleep, before he rushed down to the Apparition border.

HP HARRY'S POV

Harry was flying over the lake, stretching his blue and emerald green wings that looked beautiful in the blazing sunshine. '_I need to learn to flash_,' he mused and tried to imagine his dormitory in Gryffindor, turning a bit, so that he could see his dormitory's windows sparkling in the sunshine.

However, all of a sudden, he found himself in a dark stone room, surrounded by a small group of Death Eaters.

"My faithful servants," he heard himself say, "how good that you could join us tonight to hear the good news. As you know, because of Potter, most of my inner circle is captured at Azkaban at the moment, and we still have to try to save them. However, Malfoy junior managed to put Potter under one of my spells."

A wave of approving sounds came from his followers. "He is now suffering from the Illigio Morscenam spell, which means that his health will be constantly declining, if he doesn't bond himself to one of your midst."

"Oh, maybe I should try to bond with the cutie," a giggling woman's voice could be heard, sounding like Beatrix Lestrange.

'_But she's in Azkaban, isn't she?_' Harry mused, before he continued to speak in a sharp voice. "He's not cute, he's our worst enemy. Bonding to my enemy means death." He threw a series of Cruciatus spells at his followers in the first row, before he looked around the Death Eaters. "Severus, what news do you have for me tonight?"

The professor stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Potter seems to be quite ill, Master. He is in one of the teacher's rooms in the hospital wing, and while he first attempted to attend a few classes, he is told to be on complete bed rest now. However, I haven't seen him recently; the old fool is guarding him overzealously."

"Very well Severus," Harry heard himself approve, before he cast the spell once more on the retreating Death Eater. "Severus," he added as an afterthought, "by the time he is really weakened, I need you to bring him to me. However, that might take a few weeks if not months."

In his bed, Harry was thrashing around in pain, feeling every curse Voldemort cast. Only when he saw the Death Eaters apparate away, he noticed that someone was frantically trying to wake him up. Lazily opening his eyes, he saw his Head of House sitting on the edge of his bed, watching him in concern.

"I'm going to be sick," he just managed to mumble, before he emptied the contents of his stomach into a small bucket that Professor McGonagall had conjured quickly.

HP SEVERUS HP

Severus returned to the castle, heading straight up to the Headmaster's office.

"How was it, my boy?" Dumbledore asked gently, giving his youngest teacher a piercing look.

"He only cast the Cruciatus twice and for a few seconds," Severus replied. "I made him believe that Potter was staying on his own in a teacher's room in the infirmary. He told me to take Potter to him when he was completely weakened by the spell, even if it took weeks or months until then."

"Thank you, my boy. Well then, return to your quarters and take the Anti Cruciatus potion. Harry will probably need some as well. Knowing that he'd probably watch your meeting, I sent Minerva down to look after him while you were away."

"Why would he need the Anti Cruciatus potion, when he was watching our meeting?" Severus enquired, giving the Headmaster a disbelieving look.

"Because Harry seems to feel each spell cast by Voldemort during the Death Eater meetings," Dumbledore replied, thoughtfully sucking on a lemon drop.

"All right; good night, Albus," the Potions Master replied and strode back to the dungeons, thinking about the student currently occupying his guestroom.

HP HARRY HP

"Harry, is everything all right?" Professor McGonagall asked in concern, banishing the bucket.

"Yes Professor. He asked Snape to take me to him when I'm completely weakened by the spell," Harry informed the teacher.

Before McGonagall could even reply, the Potions Master strode into the room, his Death Eater robes still in his hand.

Harry immediately shifted to the far wall, a horrified expression on his face. "No Uncle, please don't! I promise I'll be good," he croaked frantically.

"Leave it to Potter to always make a fuss of everything," Snape groaned impatiently, just loud enough for McGonagall to hear, who gave him an angry look in return.

"Stop it, Severus," McGonagall admonished him sharply, her mouth stretched to a thin line.

"Professor?" Harry asked in obvious relief. "I'm sorry, I thought you were..." He slowly trailed off.

"You thought I was what?" the Potions Master, his voice still laced with a bout of impatience.

"My uncle," Harry replied in a hardly audible voice. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Why would I be your uncle? Does he carry Death Eater robes around?" Severus sneered, pointing to the bundle on his arm.

"No, I thought it was his belt," Harry admitted in an even smaller voice.

"Harry, you're safe at Hogwarts, and Professor Snape is not going to do anything to you," McGonagall said calmingly, before she told her colleague, "I think Harry suffered from the Cruciatus Curse during your meeting."

Severus gave Harry a sharp look, asking, "Is that true, Mr. Potter? Do you feel every curse the Dark Lord casts?"

"Yes sir."

"All right, I will get the potion," Severus replied and strode to his potions lab, where he gratefully gulped down the antidote, before he grabbed another phial to take it to his guest.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

A few days later, Harry was finally recovered from his bronchitis and was merely suffering from the effects of the spell.

"Are there any classes you wish to attend today, provided that you feel well enough?" the Potions master enquired after thoroughly checking on Harry.

"May I?" Harry asked excitedly, throwing the teacher a hopeful glance.

"We'll see," Snape replied sternly, while Harry dug in his bag for his time table.

"Transfiguration, History of Magic, Defence, and Herbology and Potions in the afternoon," Harry read thoughtfully. "I'll skip History of Magic and Herbology."

The teacher frowned. "Harry, I believe that it would be better to skip Defence and attend Herbology," he said slowly. "First of all, you can't participate in any practical Defence training because of the spell, secondly, according to Professor Lupin, you already know all the spells, which are taught in sixth year Defence class, and thirdly, Herbology is one of the important subjects, which you should attend if possible."

"All right, Professor," Harry agreed, throwing the teacher a questioning glance. "How am I supposed to get back here, sir?"

"Last night, I spoke to the Headmaster about the problem, and he set up direct Floo connections from your room to Madam Pomfrey's office and to Professor McGonagall's office. You'll be able to floo to either of these two destinations, and you can floo back from both fireplaces. You also know where the entrance to my private quarters is, and just in case you want to come home through the door, the password is 'Lily.' However, I don't appreciate that very much, because you could be seen, although the entrance is far away from my office and the Slytherin common room. Perhaps you should carry your invisibility cloak with you to use after the Potions class for example," Snape replied thoughtfully.

"All right, Professor. I'll put my invisibility cloak in my bag."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

During the next few weeks, Harry and the Potions Master became used to living together and it went better than Harry had expected. His condition improved, and with his now only minor headache and the slight temperature, to which his fever came down, he was able to attend most of his classes.

Whenever Harry and the professor disagreed about something like the accuracy of Harry's brewing, however, he felt immediately that his headache worsened and his temperature climbed up. Knowing this, Harry and Snape both tried hard to get along and prevent fights.

At the end of November, however, they noticed that they didn't even have to fight to aggravate Harry's condition. In the Quidditch match Slytherin versus Gryffindor Harry managed to catch the Snitch twenty minutes into the game, ensuring the victory for Gryffindor while Snape had hoped that Slytherin would win the match. During the victory party that took place in the Gryffindor common room in the evening, Harry suddenly began to feel unwell, and Hermione, who noticed that her friend was burning up, dragged him to Professor McGonagall's office, from where he took the Floo back to his own room.

Only when he was back in Professor Snape's quarters and the teacher sat on the edge of his bed talking to him in a soothing voice, Harry slowly relaxed, feeling his headache recede and his fever come down.

Fortunately, the match was the only one, in which Harry had to play against Slytherin, and after the Quidditch match, in which Gryffindor had to play against Hufflepuff, Harry didn't have any problems.

"I hope that your condition will further improve during the holidays when we'll be able to spend most of the day near each other," the professor told him one evening, when he checked on him after curfew a few days before the beginning of the Christmas holidays.

'_But does that mean that I'll always have to be together with Snape until the end of my life?_' Harry thought terrified. '_I really have to come up with a way to get rid of Voldemort, and then I won't have to bother anyone anymore_.'

On Saturday morning, Snape allowed Harry to accompany him to the station in Hogsmeade to see the students off, and Harry happily complied, glad to have a chance to leave the castle for a while. When they returned to the professor's quarters, the teacher motioned Harry to sit on the sofa in the living room.

"I believe that we should set up a few new rules for the holidays," he thoughtfully began to explain. "From tomorrow onwards, you will try to catch up everything you missed using Mr. Malfoy's notes."

"I also have Hermione's notes," Harry interrupted the teacher, feeling very relieved that his friend had given him a huge pile of notes, although she was staying at Hogwarts over the holidays."

"Please don't interrupt me. You will work on the notes each morning until lunchtime. We'll have lunch in the Great Hall together with the other teachers and the few students, who remained here over the holidays. Your friends Granger and Weasley are among them if I'm correct. In the afternoon, you'll brew one of the potions you missed, and in the evening after dinner in the Great Hall, I'm going to correct your work and tell you where you have to study more. After finishing your potion in the afternoon, you're free to do what you want until dinnertime."

'_That sounds all right_,' Harry mused, giving the teacher an approving nod. "All right, sir."

During the first two days, everything worked out well, and Harry had the impression that his condition improved. However, on the afternoon before Christmas Eve, Harry failed his potion, and Snape made him brew the potion four times, before Harry finally managed to brew it flawlessly half an hour before dinnertime. '_And I wanted to go flying with Ron for the first time in days seeing that it finally stopped snowing_,' Harry thought in disappointment, while he played with the food on his plate, causing his friends to shoot him concerned looks.

Later in the evening, he noticed that his condition had worsened immensely, and when Snape came to check on him, his temperature had gone up to nearly forty degrees.

"I don't know what's wrong, Mr. Potter. Did you make yourself so upset about the potion you had to brew several times, before it was correct?" the teacher asked in his soft, baritone voice.

"I don't know," Harry mumbled, feeling absolutely horrible.

The professor remained at Harry's side for a few hours, hoping that it would help the boy, and only retreated to his own room in the early morning hours.

When Harry woke up in the morning, however, he felt even worse than the evening before. '_If I feel so bad in spite of staying with Snape all the time, I can just as well spend the day in Gryffindor together with Ron and Hermione_,' he decided, and after scribbling a short note for the professor on a small parchment, which he placed on the table in the living room, he left the quarters and headed up to Gryffindor in search for his friends.

_tbc..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Dark Bonding Spell****  
by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

**

* * *

Chapter 5**

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione shouted simultaneously seeing Harry come through the portrait hole. "Happy Christmas, mate!" Ron added.

"Harry, what are you doing here? Did Professor Snape allow you to come here?" Hermione asked in obvious concern, frowning at her friend, who looked outright ill.

Harry sighed and let himself sink onto the sofa in front of the fireplace, craving the warmth of the fire. "Since yesterday evening, I'm feeling so horrible in spite of being with him all the time, so I thought I might come here as well," he admitted in a small voice. "He doesn't know, but I left him a note."

"But we have to go to the Great Hall for breakfast," Ron threw in, getting slightly impatient in spite of the concern for his friend.

"I'm not going; you can go, and I'll be here when you come back," Harry replied in a small voice.

"Ronald, please go ahead. I'll be there in a few minutes," Hermione said in determination and sat down on the edge of the sofa, gently feeling Harry's forehead. "Harry, did you take your temperature? You're burning up."

Harry shrugged. "Last night, Snape said it was nearly forty degrees."

The girl shook her head and conjured a thermometer, sticking it in Harry's mouth as soon as he opened it to let out an unwilling groan.

'_Maybe the prophecy is wrong, and I don't have to kill him, seeing that I'm only getting worse_,' Harry thought miserably. '_I can't bear that for the rest of my life_.'

Hermione pulled him out of his thoughts when she let out a huge gasp. "It's now 40.8, Harry. Don't you think you better go back to be near Professor Snape?"

"No, just let me rest here for a moment," Harry groaned, closing his eyes. "Go and eat breakfast, Hermione. I'll be fine."

"No, Harry, I'm going to stay here with you," Hermione replied worriedly. She conjured a cool cloth and gently bathed Harry's hot face.

"You don't have to stay here, I'll be fine," Harry replied, noticing that his throat was getting sore and his voice sounded a bit hoarse.

Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the girl, who immediately asked, "Harry, are you sure that you didn't catch a cold or any other illness, which makes your condition so bad? You sound a bit hoarse."

"My whole body is sore like always when it gets bad," Harry replied pensively, "but perhaps you're right and I have a cold. My throat feels quite sore today and it hurts to swallow."

"I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey, Harry," Hermione said firmly. "Try to rest for a while."

"Will do," Harry mumbled, already closing his achy eyes again.

By the time, Hermione returned with Madam Pomfrey in tow, Harry was fast asleep. The Healer waved her wand at the boy, sighing in exasperation. "He thought the spell caused his condition to become so bad in spite of being together with Professor Snape all the time?" she asked incredulously. "He caught the wizard's flu, and if he stayed here, having the flu on top of the spell would cause his condition to become so bad that I'm not sure if he'd make it. His fever has already gone up to 42 degrees. I have to take him back to Professor Snape's quarters immediately."

Pomfrey roused Harry using a spell and told the violently shivering child to step into the fireplace. When the boy complied, she stood next to him, shouting, "Harry's room in the Snape quarters." She carefully helped Harry back to bed and explained what she had already told Hermione, causing Harry to groan.

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey, for being so stupid," he croaked, sighing in relief when the healer spelled a few potions into his stomach. "Thanks," he mumbled, while he drifted off to sleep.

Harry slept through the next two days except from a few short breaks when he woke up by his coughing or the urge to drink some water. Whenever he opened his eyes, Snape was sitting on the edge of his bed helping him. Only on the third day, Harry was alert enough to speak to the man.

"I'm sorry, Professor," he whispered, "for running away."

"You stupid child," Severus replied, giving the boy a fond smile. "I'm sorry that I didn't realize that you had caught an illness apart from the spell. I hope you realized that it won't do good to run away."

"Yes," Harry said in a small voice. "I won't do it again." '_At least not until Voldemort is dead and I can do what I want_,' he added in his thoughts.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

All of a sudden, Harry was pulled into a vision. He found himself in the stone room, which he had often seen during his visions. A Death Eater, whom Harry didn't recognize, was kneeling in front of him.

"My Lord," the Death Eater spoke up, "I just received a letter from my son, who is staying at Hogwarts over the holidays this year. Two days ago, he overheard a conversation between the Mediwitch and the Headmaster, and from that conversation it became clear that Potter is staying with Severus Snape, bonding to him to counter the effects of the spell Malfoy Junior cast on the boy. My son also confirmed that Snape and the boy use to show up in the Great Hall together since the beginning of the holidays, and if Snape doesn't come to the meals, Potter won't come either."

"So Severus is a traitor like I suspected him to be for quite a time," Voldemort replied. "Thank you, my faithful servant; you and your son will be highly rewarded for your valuable information. You will take Severus' place in my inner circle as soon as I'm through with him."

The Death Eater bowed deeply and left. An instant later, Harry could hear Voldemort's voice in his head. 'Harry Potter, are you listening in on my conversations again?'

'Hi Tom,' Harry replied warily.

'Did you not learn at school that you mustn't listen in on adults' conversations? Now tell me, are you together with Snape, the traitor?'

'Professor Snape isn't a traitor,' Harry replied, suddenly having an idea. 'He is extremely reliable, he really tries to help me even if he endangers himself, and he behaves like a father to me. I love him for that. I love him like I love my parents, whom I don't even remember because of you. I love everyone, whom you killed, as well as all the people, who will survive, because I'm going to kill you.'

'Ahhh,' Voldemort replied enraged, 'Ava...

'Avada Kedavra,' Harry hurried to cast, before Voldemort's spell could reach him. Instead of using his hatred against Voldemort, he summoned all his love towards the people he would be able to save by casting this spell, and the green spell hit Voldemort's mind with a huge power, spreading over his whole body, cancelling the killing curse that the man had finished casting half a second before he died.

"Harry!" Snape shouted horrified when the boy slumped back on his pillow, unconscious. He quickly felt for a pulse, sighing in relief when he noticed that the child was still alive. Hurrying to the fireplace, he shouted, "Poppy, come here immediately," causing the healer to step out of the fireplace within a minute.

"Mr. Potter is unconscious, has an enormous headache, and his fever is spiking again. What happened?"

"I believe that he tried to kill the Dark Lord through his mind. I heard what Harry said; he was obviously talking to him and threatened to kill him. Do you think you could wake him up?"

Pomfrey cast a spell on Harry, stronger than the Enervate spell, which made Harry's mind slowly turn back to consciousness.

"Is he gone?" he asked eagerly, looking at Snape in expectation.

The professor quickly rolled up his left sleeve and gasped. The Dark Mark was gone.

"The Dark Mark has vanished," he stated, still unable to believe the impossible.

"Did he cast something at you, Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked sternly.

"The killing curse, but I think it was cancelled when I killed him," Harry replied in confusion.

"Well, you might have gotten in the whoosh of it, which made your condition worsen so much. I'll give you a few potions, but I think you'll be all right. Severus, I need you to closely watch him and call me if necessary."

"Of course," the teacher replied, hurrying to the fireplace once more to call the Headmaster.

"Madam Pomfrey, can you give me a sleeping draught?" Harry asked urgently. "I don't want to speak about it right now."

"Yes," the Mediwitch replied in complete understanding and quickly spelled a Dreamless Sleep potion into the boy's stomach, knowing that it would make him sleep through until dinnertime.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Two days later, Harry had yet to talk to the Headmaster. Snape had told Dumbledore what he had witnessed and had denied the Headmaster's attempts to speak with Harry so far, stating that his condition was too fragile. However, by now his condition had improved, and his guardian finally allowed him to get up for a short while.

After breakfast, Harry sat at his desk, making the teacher believe that he wanted to resume his studies. However, as soon as the man headed to his private lab to brew a potion for the hospital wing, he abandoned his books and quickly wrote letters to Snape, Hermione, Ron, Pomfrey, McGonagall, and the Headmaster. He laid the letters on his desk, putting the one for his guardian on top of the others, before he pulled the Marauders' Map out of his trunk, confirming that all the teachers were in their respective offices and the students in their common rooms. No one was rooming the halls or could be seen outside in the heavy snow storm that had been pestering Scotland during the last two days.

'_That's exactly what I need_,' Harry mused, while he grabbed his broom and headed up to the Astronomy tower.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Professor Snape had just finished a batch of headache potions when the alarm spell he had put on the door to his quarters alerted him to the fact that his ward had left. He quickly hurried into the living room to see if Harry had left a note like the last time but felt an invisible power pull him into the boy's room. A glance over the letter addressed to himself made him gasp in realization. When he turned to step into the fireplace his view fell on the Marauders' Map that was still lying open on the desk. He quickly searched for the dot named 'Harry Potter,' seeing that the boy was heading up to the Astronomy tower.

"Fawkes!" Snape tried to call his sole Master's familiar in absolute desperation, causing the phoenix to appear at his side.

"Fawkes!" the man sighed in relief. "Can you please take me to the Astronomy tower? I have to stop Harry from killing himself."

The phoenix trilled a beautiful melody, turning his back, so that the teacher could grab his tail feathers, and flashed the man to the Astronomy tower, where they arrived just when Harry opened the door and stepped out.

"What...?" Harry stammered in utter surprise and horror at the same time.

"Harry," Snape said in a soft voice, pulling the boy in an embrace. "Harry, you can't do such a thing!"

"I can," Harry replied firmly. "I fulfilled my duty, and now I'm free. I'm really grateful for what you did for me, but I don't want you to have to look after me for the next hundred years, and if I kill Malfoy to make the spell fail, I'll end up in Azkaban, and frankly speaking I prefer my own solution to that."

"No Harry, wait! I've thought about that, and I think I found a solution," Severus explained patiently. "I heard what you told the Dark Lord, and I wish you to know that you became as close to me as if you were my son. I'd like you to become my son, Harry. As far as I can imagine, the spell will be fulfilled, if I adopt you. I can even blood adopt you, if you wish. And if the spell won't be fulfilled by that, we'll somehow manage. Professor Dumbledore has already agreed to give you the position as Professor for Defence against the Dark Arts here at Hogwarts after your seventh year, knowing that the curse on the position must be broken by the Dark Lord's death, so that you can stay with me in any case.

Completely lulled into calmness by Fawkes' manipulative trilling, Harry couldn't help but agree to the professor's suggestions, not even able to comprehend why he had wanted to do what he had intended to do any more.

Snape thanked Fawkes and slowly led Harry back to his quarters.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said pensively.

"You're welcome, Harry. I wouldn't want you to harm yourself. Do you want to think about the adoption, or shall we go to the Ministry and get it done as soon as possible?"

"Let's do it straight away, if you're sure," Harry replied hesitantly.

"Are you sure that you really want it?" Snape enquired, giving the boy a sharp look.

"Yes, I'm sure. For months now I've been living here with you and I like the feeling to have a parent, who cares about me. It's like really having a family, and it would be great if you could become my father, especially as Tom is gone now and we wouldn't have to hide it from anyone," Harry explained in a small voice.

"That's right," Snape agreed. "All right, we can go immediately. However, we should inform Professor Dumbledore beforehand, if you don't mind." Seeing that Harry gave him a confirming nod, he stepped to the fireplace and called the Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore agreed to everything, burying deep in his mind what Fawkes had told him a few minutes ago. "I'm glad that you finally came together, my boys," he told the two young men, his eyes twinkling merrily.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

After their visit to the Ministry of Magic, Severus led Harry into Muggle London for lunch, which Harry enjoyed greatly.

"Thank you so much, sir, for everything, for saving my life, adopting me, bringing me here for lunch..." Harry spoke up hesitantly, licking his mouth to crave the rest of the delicious sauce.

"Harry, you don't have to thank you. I'm glad that we're a family now, too." Snape sighed. "You don't have to call me sir or Professor in private. I can understand that it must be difficult to suddenly call me Father, but you could call me by my given name, provided that we're alone or in our quarters. In class, you still need to address me properly like all the other students."

"All right, err... Severus. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Harry. Now let's head to Diagon Alley to buy some proper clothes for you. Is there anything else you'd like to have?"

The two men spent a few hours in town, where to Harry's great embarrassment Severus bought a huge pile of clothes for the boy including socks and underwear. With surprise he noticed that his new father even had a good sense when it came to clothes, and he didn't choose even one black item.

"Thank you so much," Harry said when they returned to the castle, hesitantly adding, "I never owned new clothes except for my school clothes."

"As your father it's my obligation to see to it that you're properly clothed," Severus informed him. "You're welcome, Harry. Now go and put everything in your room please."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

At the welcoming feast at the beginning of January, Dumbledore addressed the students. After speaking about Voldemort and how Harry had conquered him and earned the Order of Merlin first class, he told them, "Please note that our Professor Snape has blood adopted Harry. Therefore, not only his features have changed as many of you have surely noticed, but also his last name has changed to Potter-Snape"

"Harry, did you ask your Dad if you may try to stay in the dormitory now?" Ron asked excitedly, tuning out the Headmaster's voice.

"Yes, we agreed to try it out. I hope it'll work. He is really nice, and I like my own room a lot, but it's great to be together with all of you," Harry replied, smiling at his best friends.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

During the first two days, Harry didn't have any problems. However, in the evening of the third day of classes, Harry noticed that his headache and his fever returned. He groaned in exasperation. '_So much about the spell being broken_,' he thought and resolved to return to his father's quarters after classes.

However, when he entered the Transfiguration classroom for the last morning class, trailing after his friends, Professor McGonagall saw immediately that Harry was ill again. She gently felt his forehead, making Harry jump in surprise at the cold touch.

"Harry, you're in no condition to attend classes," she said softly.

"Please Professor, let me attend this class. I promise I'll go back to bed afterwards if I don't feel better," Harry begged his Head of House, causing her to give him a worried frown but leave him in peace.

As soon as she dismissed the students, however, McGonagall strode into her office, motioning Harry to follow her. She made him lie down on the sofa and quickly called Severus through the fireplace.

"Severus, Harry is ill again. Could you please come and check on him to see if it's the spell or perhaps something else," she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Within seconds, Harry's adoptive father stepped out of the fireplace, groaning inwardly when he saw his son's flushed cheeks and glassy eyes.

"Dad, I don't fell well," Harry mumbled, relieved to see Severus.

The professor waved his wand at the boy a few times, before he sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin, it's only the wizard's flu again; it's not the spell. Harry, I'm going to take you back to your own room though, since you'll have to spend a few days in bed. Thank you, Minerva, for calling me."

"You're welcome, Severus. Get well soon, Harry," McGonagall said gently, while Severus picked Harry up and carried him into the fireplace, pondering about what his son had called him a few minutes ago.

As before, Severus spent every free minute at Harry's side, nursing him back to health, and a few days later, he was completely recovered and allowed to return to his dormitory.

'_Thank Merlin; Dad was right, and the spell seems to be broken_,' Harry thought gratefully. He stayed in the dormitory until the end of his seventh year, before he returned to live in his adoptive father's quarters, denying Professor Dumbledore's offer to assign him his own quarters as Defence against the Dark Arts Professor.

"Thank you, Professor, but I think I'm going to enjoy the fact to have a real family for a while," he told the Headmaster, noticing that the old man's eyes were twinkling joyfully when he ordered Dobby to make a connecting door from the Defence teacher's office to Severus living room.

"Yes, it's good to have a family," the Headmaster smiled, gently stroking Fawkes' head feathers.

**The End**

_Thank you so much for your kind comments on this story!_**  
**


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